Brex
Startup-first corporate charge card with a Marketplace that rivals AWS Activate, $350K+ in partner discounts.
Brex offers up to $350,000+ in partner discounts to bootstrapped, pre-seed, seed startups, no VC referral required. Review takes 1–2 business days.
About
Brex is a corporate charge card built for startups: no personal guarantee, no personal credit check, underwritten on company cash balance and revenue. Available in 50+ countries with cards in local currencies. The Marketplace includes $2,500 OpenAI credits, 30% off Slack, 6 months of Zendesk, $100 1Password, 5% off Vouch, $500 v0 credits via Vercel, 50% off Superhuman, 20% off AngelList Stack, 6 months of Warp, and more. Rewards on spend range from 1× everything to 7× rideshare.
Tiers
- Incorporated US entity (EIN required)
- Typically $50,000+ in cash reserves
- Company pays balance in full each cycle
Eligibility
- Incorporated US entity (EIN required, sole proprietors don't qualify)
- Typically $50,000+ in cash reserves
- Company must pay balance in full each cycle
- Sole proprietors
- Companies without EIN
- Cash-strapped pre-revenue with <$50K reserves
How to apply
- 1
- 2Wait for approvalTypically 1–2 business days.
- 3Access MarketplaceDashboard → Rewards → Perks and discounts.
- 4Redeem perksRedeem perks individually via Marketplace.
What else you get
- $2,500 OpenAI credits
- 30% off Slack Pro/Business+ for 12 months (≤200 employees)
- 6 months of Zendesk Support free
- $100 on 1Password Teams or Business
- 5% off Vouch startup insurance + 10,000 Brex points
- $500 v0 credits via Vercel Teams/Business
- 50% off Superhuman Business Plan year 1
- 20% off AngelList Stack year 1
- 6 months free of Warp
- 50% off Wispr year 1
- Day Zero Stack: AI/startup tools at founder pricing
- Up to 7× rideshare, 4× travel, 3× restaurants, 2× recurring software
- Reported to Experian and Dun & Bradstreet for business credit
What credits cover (and don't)
- Corporate card spend
- Brex Travel portal
Tactical tips
- Tip 1.Don't apply to Brex perks AND Mercury perks for the same partner, you'll cap the partner's startup offering.
- Tip 2.NachoNacho bonus link unlocks +75K points (50K on $100K deposit, 25K on $3K card spend).
- Tip 3.Use the Brex Travel portal, 30–60% discounts + 24/7 concierge.
- Tip 4.On-time payments build business credit (Experian + Dun & Bradstreet).
- Tip 5.Startups.com Members get +30K bonus points on signup.
Common rejection reasons
- Insufficient cash reserves (<$50K)
- Sole proprietor without EIN
- Inconsistent or missing financial documentation
Frequently asked about Brex
Is Brex free to apply?
Yes. Applying to Brex does not cost anything and does not require giving up equity. Some programs require a payment method on file that activates only after credits are consumed or expire, check the program detail page for specifics.
How long does Brex take to review applications?
Processing times are shown on the program detail page. Most programs reply within 1–3 weeks. Self-serve tiers (like AWS Activate Founders) can approve in 2–7 days; partner-referred tiers (like AWS Activate Portfolio) usually take 5–10 days.
Can I combine Brex with other startup programs?
Most programs stack. The "Stacks well with" section on each detail page lists commonly combined programs. A few important exceptions: if you already claimed AWS credits via Brex or Mercury, your direct AWS Activate amount may be reduced.
What is the most common reason applications to Brex get rejected?
The top rejection reasons are (1) using a personal Gmail/Outlook address instead of a company domain, (2) having a thin or placeholder website, and (3) mismatched information between the application and Crunchbase/Pitchbook. The tips section on the program page details program-specific factors.
Related programs
Mercury (Raise + Perks Bundle)
Business banking with $5M FDIC sweep + perks marketplace ($200K+ partner credits) + free Mercury Raise community.
Ramp
Spend management + corporate card with $350K+ partner perks, including $2,500 OpenAI credits.